The Duel That Wasn't
The Duel That Wasn't Log Title: The Duel That Wasn't Characters: Megatron, Starscream, the Aerialbots, Hummer Location: North Central United States - USA - North America Year: 2009 TP: Geothermal Actuators TP As Logged by Hummer - Friday, September 25, 2009, 5:43 PM ---- The Aerialbots have confronted Megatron as Superion, but a blast from Megatron's antimatter cannon put the Autobot gestalt down for the count. Hummer has responded and, as he arrives on scene, decides to do something very foolish. We begin en medias res... North Central United States - North America The North Central US is predominantly farmlands. These farmlands dominate the scenery, from the vast expanses of wheat fields all across Kansas, clear up through the fields of wheat, corn, and soybeans in Nebraska, and on up through eastern South Dakota and North Dakota. In the Dakotas, however, the farmland is partially divided by the Missouri River, west of which the territories become less farmland, and more ranchable areas. A lot of this area is flat, but in the western Dakotas, the rolling hills turn into the Black Hills in South Dakota, with their peaks and spruce trees. This area is also home to the rocky walls of the desolate Badlands, closeby. There are national forests and grasslands all through this area as well, through the Dakotas and Nebraska. To the east of this region, the 100000 lakes of Minnesota, and the Iowa cornfields span outward, into the open hills and plains of Illinois, and their historical importances. Contents: Slingshot, Fireflight, Silverbolt, Air Raid, Hummer, Starscream, Megatron Autobot Shuttle , Chicago, Illinois - USA <> Hummer says, "I am enroute to the combat site." Megatron lands on top of the space cruiser, keeping a close eye on the Autobot shuttle nearby. "If they're wise they'll keep their distance." he says. "Keep close watch, Starscream." <> Hummer says, "Initial scans indicate casualties. Request medical evac team immediately." Starscream looks up at Megatron and nods, then says something to one of the other Seekers who runs off to a couple of otheres. Then the Air Commander continues surpervizing the transports arriving and the energon cub loading. A cloud of dust along the ground betrays the arrival of another vehicle -- this one, a military-style green HMMWV bearing the Autobot sigil on the hood. From the way he's bearing down on this locale, one would think he considered himself the cavalry, or some such. He's not even a particularly noteworthy Autobot, clearly just one of the rank and file. What does this guy really think he's going to do? (Radio) You transmit, "Megatron, I see you have the clear tactical advantage on the field. I request a parley." to Megatron. (Radio) Megatron sends you a radio transmission, 'Indeed, Autobot. Your assessment is correct, but a parley is... granted.' Starscream hears a noise and sees dirt and plant bits flying up in the air. He looks at the direction of the sound and sees the green Autobot barreling towards them. Starscream smirks, "Here comes the Calvary." and he leaps up into the air an transforms, heading out to stop this latest arrival. Megatron raises an arm. "Hold, Starscream." Megatron commands. "He has requested to.. parley. Let us hear what he has to say." he says as he flies down to meet the incoming Autobot. "Parley? PARLEY?" Starscream asks though holding his pattern in flight. "Since when to Decepticons /parley/ with.. Autobots? I DON'T! The F15 boosted forward suddenly continuing its approach to Hummer. As the HMMWV draws near, it pitches forward, transforming, and comes up into robot mode. Raising his vocalizer, the Autobot -- Hummer, not that either Decepticon is likely to have heard of him -- raises his hands and shouts, "I would speak with Megatron, Lord of the Decepticons!" The Humvee reshapes itself, the front end breaking apart into arms which in turn sprout gauntlets. The back end splits in two and unfolds into legs, and a silver head rises from between the shoulders. The parts settle into place, taking the form of the Autobot called Hummer. Megatron raises his arm cannon. "I said HOLD Starscream, or I'll blast YOU out of the sky instead!" he says. "As he has said, we have the tactical advantage... we shall hear when he has to say." Starscream hears the threat and what he just did to Superion flashes in instant replay through his internal video feed. With a few choise words muttered in Cybertronian the Air Commander pulls up and drops down to transform. Once he does he levels a cannon at the Autobot. "One false move and you'll be joining your comrades on the junk pile.." Hummer regards Starscream evenly, his optic band shimmering. "You have my word that I will do nothing until we have made an agreement, Air Commander." Apparently, he at least knows who /they/ are. He then directs his full attention to Megatron, offering a rather out-of-place-looking, polite bow. "Lord Megatron, you do not know me, and my name is unimportant. I was once a Decepticon labor drone, serving your empire against my will or capacity to rebel. Yet, I feel that a part of me has always been Decepticon." He touches a compartment at his abdomen, which slides open to reveal a battered bit of old silver armor, still displaying the Decepticon insignia. "My lord, I seek to part ways with this history. What the Decepticons have done to this planet, my conscience cannot abide. I have told myself that I was following an honorable path, that you were my enemies but were still worthy of respect. I still seek to offer that respect, Lord Megatron, but I must also, at long last take action for myself." A grim, faint smile settles across his face. "Pardon my long words. I am not usually one for speeches. What matters is this: I ask a boon of you." Megatron widens an optic a bit. "An elequent delivery, Autobot. State this... boon." he says, regarding Hummer with a curious expression. Starscream lifts an optic ridge and then watches this mech. When he goes to reach for the compartment on his abdoman though his laser cannon clicked into place. But he doesnt fire when he sees it doesnt appear to be a weapon. So Starscream is silent until Megatron replies and then without taking his optics off the Autobot he says, "This is a trap. Don't listem to him." he doesnt trust this 'labor drone' and quickly his optics scan the surrounding area for any more Autobots. "I ask," Hummer explains, inclining his head and speaking slowly, "the opportunity to rid myself of my past by confronting it directly. That is, my lord, I request the right to face you in single combat -- an honorable duel. If I am victorious, I ask that you disclose the information to the Autobots that will allow us to avert further ecological disaster on this planet. If I am not, I place my life in your hands. I fully expect that my life will be forfeit, but I have stood by without taking action for as long as I am capable." He bows again, slightly. "I realize this request may seem rash, even ludicrous... but I have long wished for this opportunity to win my freedom. Optimus Prime may have liberated my chassis, but my heart -- if you will forgive the metaphor -- has never truly been free." Megatron's optics flash a bit as Hummer makes his.. unusual request, a hand going to his chin as he ponders Hummer's request, and he looks Hummer up and down as he sizes up his challenger. "Very well, Autobot. You present a honorable challenge, and I have never been one to refuse combat." he says. "I accept your terms." If Starscream could he'd be rolling his eyes right now. Never one to refuse an honorable challenge, eh? He looks back at Megatron. "You're serious? Why waste your energy on this? We have more important things to do." Hummer inclines his upper torso anew, then holds out one hand, where a crystalline-looking energy sword of shimmering blue appears. "Then, may the Autobots remember your honor even if my life-functions are terminated. I stand ready, Lord Megatron." It seems that Hummer is, at the least, determined to go out politely. Megatron pulls out a small device of his own, and with a click it shimmers with deep purple energy of its own. "Then it is done. Prepare for oblivion, Autobot. This challenge is doomed to fail from the start. >> Megatron strikes Hummer with Energy-Sword. << Starscream snorts and his optics glow. He hates being ignored and quickly gets out of the way as Megatron attacks... "It would be ... unfortunate if you lost .. leader.." He says oddly and then steps back. Hummer is already moving as Megatron attacks, but he opts to evade when a parry would have been more effective -- the strike slashes across his abdomen, deeply enough to penetrate his armor. Connections spark. The silver scrap of armor with the Decepticon symbol flutters to the ground, sliced raggedly in two. That moment falls away, unnoticed, though, as Hummer brings his own sword around in a full-armed slice towards Megatron in retaliation. >> Hummer strikes Megatron with Energy-Sword. << Megatron lets out a yelp of his own pain, his armor melting a bit at the impact of Hummer's sword. The purple blade is brought about once again towards Hummer as he retaliates with a slice of his own. >> Megatron strikes Hummer with Energy-Sword. << Starscream just watches intently making mental notes... The second slice actually cleaves off a section of Hummer's chest, leaving a wheel and one of the headlights from his altmode to fall, smoldering and broken to the ground. Lubricant and other vitals fluids leak visibly from his wounds, but the Autobot doesn't hesitate. Rather, he moves forward, lifting his blade high overhead. "Megatron," he says -- notably dropping the honorific "lord" -- as though it is enough, as a single word, to communicate some greater meaning. He then brings the blade down with all the power he can muster, aiming to at least damage Megatron memorably. >> Hummer misses Megatron with Megasword. << "Your suffering will be over soon, Autobot..." Megatron says, bringing up his arm to bring the cannon down towards Hummer's cranium. >> Megatron strikes Hummer with Cannon Clobber. << The cannon strikes hard, denting the formerly gleaming dome of Hummer's head and sending deep cracks spiderwebbing through his optic visor. He stumbles, off-balance from his failed previous attack, but rather than give up, he turns his forward momentum into a thrust, hoping to use Megatron's own momentum from the attack to get a strike in with the energy blade. >> Hummer misses Megatron with Energo-Sword. << Megatron sidesteps the sword as his right hand slides back and a glowing purple energy mace appears. "A valiant try, Autobot... but I tire of your futile efforts. Let us end this." The mace is set swinging, and with a hum of energy it is brought down towards Hummer's cranial unit once again. >> Megatron strikes Hummer with Energy-Mace. << Starscream is getting bored with this and realizes the energon cubes still need to be loaded onto the shuttle. Besides he saw what he wanted to see and stores it away for future reference and then turns to go back overseeing the loading of the energon cubes.... someone has to work around here and it looks like its him right now.... Megatron's mace shatters what's left of Hummer's optic band, leaving the raw inner workings of his visual sensors quite visible... as well as the laser weapon that's tucked away in there. His face is smashed in, nose and jaw melted off, and yet he still manages to, somehow, hold his head up towards Megatron... and put what little remains of his energon into a desperate, wild shot with that optic blast of his. >> Hummer misses Megatron with Optic-Blast . << Megatron sidesteps the shot. "An honorable and valiant effort, Autobot, but it has come time to end this." his cannon arm raises, and it begins to power up. "Farewell, Autobot. Consider this belated payment.... for your escape from slavery." The trigger is activated, and a large blast sails from the barrel towards Hummer. >> Megatron strikes Hummer with Fusion-Termination. << Hummer stares up at Megatron, blind but unwilling to surrender, what remains of his features set in an expression of mute defiance. He lacks even the power to detonate one of his rockets, now. Still, his audio receptors are working as Megatron speaks, and he hears the farewell with perfect clarity. Then, he's very briefly lit up by an aura of dazzling light... just before his body begins to fragment, breaking apart and flaking into oblivion. When the glow fades and the smoke clears, only scattered bits of Hummer's chassis remain. His sword lies amidst his own body parts, now dark and lacking power. Starscream glances over as the Autobots body disintigrates. He knew this is how it would end, though he couldnt help but hope maybe just once Megatron might have met with a surprise or two... "While some of us have been playing, Megatron," He says a bit sarcastically, "Others have taken care of the task at hand. The loading of the Energon is continuing on schedule...." Megatron turns to Starscream. "Playing? I consider that pest control." Megatron snarls as he flies up to where Starscream is. "This is only the first of many shipments to come... maintain security of the area, I want ALL of the cubes loaded on board within the next four days." Starscream stares at him for a moment, his face unreadible then he nods shortly, "Yes, Megatron." Autobots are left in varying states of severe destruction as we FADE TO BLACK. Autobot Message: Medical Report: Hummer Author: Lugnut Lugnut appears on screen, delivering a medical report. "Lugnut, here. I've... got a bit of a mystery on my hands, here. When the Aerialbots were brought in from the field after Megatron damaged them, we also picked up a bunch of... parts. After a few scans, I determined these to be the remains of Infantry member Hummer, assigned to the Special Ops department. It looks like he was in that same attack, but I haven't heard how he got there or what, exactly, he was doing there. Records show he called for a medical evac from that vicinity, but no other reports were filed. Then he went and, well... got himself killed. I'll see if Wheeljack can salvage his core, but... there's not a lot left. Anyone who can provide information about this, please submit an additional report. Autobots should not just turn up mysteriously dead, without explanation." Seeming frustrated, the medic clicks off the data recorder, the screen fading to the Autobot medical division logo. = Category:Logs